Flanagan heads panel probing treatment of heroin addiction

Sunday

Feb 16, 2014 at 6:00 AMFeb 16, 2014 at 6:46 AM

By John J. Monahan

Even before the recent overdose death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, Senate President Therese Murray and Sen. Jennifer L. Flanagan, D-Leominster, had launched a special committee to investigate major shortcomings in treatment for heroin addiction in the state.

The committee held its first meeting last week and wants to come up with an action plan before the Legislature ends its formal sessions in July.

Murray named Flanagan to chair the committee, saying the current situation is intolerable.

"Since 1999, there has been a 47 percent increase in overdose deaths in Massachusetts," the Senate president said laying in out her intentions to see substantial changes in the way treatment is provided around the state.

"We have an epidemic of opium addiction and we need to address the issue of treatment, where the treatment is and isn't and what else we have to do," Murray said.

A big part of the problem is what happens when people are forced into treatment, by police or family members under civil commitment processes, they said. Often it results in 30-day detox orders, without the availability of additional longer term treatment.

"What we are finding is that as soon as people are detoxed, they are released to go back into the communities from which they came," Flanagan said. "We are going to take a comprehensive look over the next couple of months, hopefully to see where we need to address this issue and where the dollars have to be moved."

A key question, she said, is whether detox, which safely lowers drugs in an addict's system, is enough, and for example, determining whether state probation practices are adequate.

"Are people being mandated to go through detox and then coming back out with no real desire to get clean? We have to look at this top to bottom," Flanagan said.

Murray said she wants to see a major shift in terms of curative long-term treatment availability.

"I've sat in the drug courts in my district and it just tears your heart out to see families coming and pleading with judges to put their adult children away," she said, especially with a lack of availability of post-detox treatment.

"Where are the beds? The judge at the end of the day has no place to put them, and has to call the local emergency room to transfer individuals for detoxing," in many cases, she said, in order to avoid potentially fatal withdrawal outside of a medical setting.

In state-sponsored programs now, Murray said, "They are out in less than 30 days."

"They get them clean and they are on the street. Well, they are right back robbing your house or somebody else's house or your own house," she said of the public safety problems that are widespread around the state.

"This is a huge addiction problem we have, and I think we have the highest percentage of heroin usage in all of New England. In fact, I think we may have the highest in the entire country. So it is time we address this issue," Murray said. Also, she added, "We have to educate younger children on the effects of these drugs."

Flanagan said in 2012 the state implemented prescription monitoring programs, to curb abuses which had people doctor shopping for opiate prescription drugs and generating waves of new addicts. Now she said the state has to find a way to provide longer term and corrective treatment.

At their first meeting the committee heard testimony from Drug Court Judge Rosemary Minehan, who offered a chilling account of the day-to-day crisis management she faces at her court with a flood of heroin addicts and alcoholics and a shortage of treatment options.

Oftentimes acutely addicted people are being held in court lockups while court personnel face a race against time to quickly put together assessments needed for civil commitment authorization, knowing a lack of immediate medical treatment can have fatal consequences.

She said Department of Mental Health secure beds are at capacity, and the situation could worsen if pending changes in the law take effect to eliminate secure placements with the Department of Corrections.

She told the committee it will take combined efforts of the Legislature, law enforcement and public health agencies to begin finding solutions.

As the list of legislators seeking the removal of Department of Children and Families Commissioner Olga Roche grew last week, some social service advocates were rallying in support of the embattled commissioner.

By the end of the week, 15 members of the House from Central Massachusetts were among 24 signing a letter asking Gov. Deval L. Patrick to fire her. They said recent disclosures over allowing people with criminal backgrounds as foster parents and inadequate monitoring of children in the agency's care following the agency's failure to protect missing 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver from Fitchburg last year, show she has failed to take enough corrective action.

John Polanowicz of Northboro, state Secretary of Health and Human Services, said Roche, a career child welfare worker and onetime area director for the DCF Worcester Office, "understands the complex situations many DCF families face."

While the system needs improvement, he and the governor believe she can handle the task.

"It is important to have a steady hand during this time, and that is exactly the type of leadership Commissioner Roche has demonstrated," he said.

Linda Cavaioli, executive director of the YWCA of Central Massachusetts, said she has known Roche for 20 years.

Cavaioli, who along with her husband, adopted three children in 1991 who had been in foster care and has had many other dealings with the agency, said Roche has risen through the ranks from social worker to commissioner.

"She has 'been there' and done the work of her people at all levels, always with a compassionate but firm view, always with child safety and protection front and center," she argued.

Juan Gomez, president of Centro Las Americas in Worcester, pointed out that Roche began in the job only in October and for years has been a strong partner pushing for quality social service programs.

"In that short time she has already made great strides and improvements to the department, while facing incredible challenges," he said.

Maurice Boisvert, president emeritus of You Inc. of Worcester, said he's known Roche for two decades. "Her integrity and dedication to the mission of protecting and nurturing these vulnerable children into becoming contributing members of our community is without question," he said.